Y7- 2023/24 support thread

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

Hi, just dropping in a thread for those of us who have kids starting secondary this coming September. There was a lovely thread going last year and they are carrying it on into Year 8, so here is a place for us the year behind.

How is everyone feeling as they finish Primary and prepare for Secondary?

Dd is moving from a single form entry "family feel" type cosy Primary into a large 8 form entry, multiple building secondary. She's going alone, her primary class are really split up across multiple secondaries.

The transition days helped, and she is excited,but has been really sad this weke saying her goodbyes

Is everyone prepped for uniform etc?

Hey, I'm so sorry to hear this x x What reasons does she not want to walk?

Hey, so sorry to hear that… what's her reasons for not wanting to walk x

So he got to the bus stop and on the right bus. Apparently hasn’t spoken to anyone but has an ok day, barely ate lunch… is very tired….

DS is an emotional wreck. Last night was tough, verging on a panic attack. He told me he cried at school but the teachers were lovely and he is continuously close to tears this evening. Only 1 other from his primary has gone up to this school and he is so worried about not having any friends, bless his heart

Absolute disaster here. DS came home and went into complete meltdown. He's saying he's never going back. I'm not looking forward to tomorrow. Solidarity with others who are struggling. So glad to see many positive stories from people today though.

@MissJJ19 maybe when she sees the others walking in without parents, she'll change her mind. My Dd wouldn't let me go anywhere near with her.

to those whose kids are struggling. It's early days but may be worth ringing the school and see if they can help.

She says she feels scared which of course is understandable, I've tried to explain to her that both me and her dad have to go to work and I'm happy to support her this week and then ease her off into it next week but she's not happy about it at all my partner can finish anywhere up until 6 and I finish at 4.30 her school is 5 mins away from our house whereas I work about 20mins away its difficult as the last thing I want her to think is that work is more important

Sorry to read about his upset, did he say if there was 1 specific thing or was he just overwhelmed?

I would jump right on that with the head of Y7 pastoral support so that no nonsense gets started up. Clean slate for everyone and best to nip these things in the bud. (Mum of DS15 as well as DD11). Boys can be shits in closing ranks too.

DD had a positive day overall- very hot here but otherwise fine. Lots of shoe drama here with a much stricter policy on correct attire and some children were sent home!! Yeeks

Oh dang it I quoted the wrong poster! Sorry.

I was referring to the poster who had some old primary kids calling him a loser. 😞

So apparently he doesn’t want to go back.. he wants to do proper work and they haven’t

@Gizlotsmum DD is annoyed it's all introductory lessons at the moment. Very disappointed science today was all about 'safety in the lab' rather than covering off the Principia 🙄

DS very hot, tired and happy at the end of Day 1 today. Likes his form tutor and form group. Likes all the other teachers he met. Had a delicious lunch but couldn’t remember what it was! Sorry to hear others are struggling - hope pastoral systems kick in to help overcome any teething problems. It’s a big change and all the staff will want it to go as well as possible.

I kind of feel I should give it a few days. He seemed over the moon otherwise?

Good luck everyone tomorrow for the second day.

I'm nervous again as this time it will be with the 8s, 9s, 10s and 11s!

@MissJJ19 is it a really big school?
It's hard but she needs to see that no other Yr7s will have their mums with them. It would be social suicide here.

Those with really upset children or tears - defo defo let the transition lead or head of year / form tutor know so they can help. They see if every year

Good luck to everyone but especially the strugglers today. Like @Yoyo2021 here is first day with the full school in and first day back for DS1 who is struggling a bit with the end of the holidays (he has ASD). So I’m nervous about both of them now!

He went off happily enough this morning, his sister less so but she is yr11 so quite a lot of stress and pressure ( from the school not us). He was tired this morning, had to wake him up which is unheard of! He has pe so could be interesting to see the state of his tie this evening!

Spoke too soon, had tears at dinner time, but think DS may have had mild heatstroke as he didn't know where to refill his water bottle so didn't, plus he seems to be oddly attached to his blazer and wouldn't take it off.(they are allowed to just carry it in this heat). He seems happier today, made it to school without me accompanying him (I might have been tracking his phone most the way) and I have given him a bigger water bottle!

DD wanted to walk up herself to meet her mates today. She was in a happy mood and keen to get going this morn. She even let me take a back to school photo which I wasn't allowed to do yesterday!

Only Yrs 7, 11, 12 and 13 in today. Then full school tomorrow!

Thinking of everyone and all the children like mine where it's been slightly Rocky.

Let's hope a bit of time will improve things.

I hope they are all having a great lunch right now.

I'm just on my break at work and hoping the app will be uploaded and he has managed to get served at lunch as there are all the other years back today!! X

I've just done the same re lunch! He didn't take in a pack lunch so was praying that he got some food.

Looks like he has, just hoping he had time to eat it as well and didn't find the whole experience too stressful

I made the mistake of listening to abba slipping through my fingers earlier 😥

Seems so relatable now. Dd goes to school with her friends, comes home and calls them, and i'm knowing less and less about her life.
I compared her picture from the end of yr6 to now and in that short time she seems to have grown so much.

She had another good day but came home roasting hot. I think this weekend will be much needed.

I know what you mean physically my sons face has changed and he has got so tall just over summer its mad….

My son is really chatty with me so I am lucky in one sense as my friend dosent hear anything but in another way sometimes I find out too much and it plays on my mind.

For example he told me about someone saying his back pack is cheap on the way to school - it's a Nike air Jordan back pack I wouldn't say they are cheap! He just ignored the boy so did the right thing.

Just praying does not become a re occrance.

In regards to lunch it was a pot milkshake and flapjack for break and then for lunch of Pringles from the canteen and a cookie he said because the main meal canteen was so packed and wanted to play football.

Hoping tomorrow he can try and be better with choices. He's a only child and its just me I've given him a limit of 5 pound a day but I was planning on if I'm spending 25 pound a week on break and lunch then for tea its just lunchbox tea - toast, fruit, a wrap cake etc and both nights I've done a cooked tea because of his choices.

How did everyone else get on?

Dd got a bit teary as her friends where chatting on WhatsApp about homework on Google classroom. They were in different classes today to her. She was panicking as she's never heard of google classroom before and didn't know how to get online etc.

I've suggested she asks her form tutor about it tomorrow and see what she says. The only homework she got today was to be written into her exercise book.